Kolkata: MP Birla Group company Birla Corp. Ltd Tuesday said its net profit in the September quarter had grown 152% year-on-year to Rs58.43 crore (from Rs23.2 crore a year ago) thanks to cost rationalization and a surprise Rs13 crore cash profit from the jute division.

The cement maker’s revenue, however, declined 3.5% from a year earlier to Rs882.5 crore.

After a short spurt in the June quarter, demand for cement contracted in the September quarter, the company said in a statement.

During the quarter, Birla Corp. concluded the purchase of Reliance Cement Co. Pvt. Ltd with which its production capacity goes up to 15.5 million tonnes (mt) from 10 mt.